Affordable (sub-$100) premium denim?

[slackerinabox]

I'm basically an unpretentious dresser but noticed that my $30 walmart jeans aren't really age or office appropriate anymore. They wear funny, don't wash well, and don't give me that nice casual dress code vibe I get from say Banana Republic or 7 jeans. We also drop our laundry off (NYC, no one has a washer/dryer) to get done and my cheap jeans are shrinking all the time (I tell them to dry on low but they never listen.. boo!) - I'd like my jeans to either hold up better or be handsome enough to warrant dry cleaning.

I don't want to spend $200 on jeans and would honestly prefer to spend $40 or so, but understand that quality will cost money- suggestions? I like Lucky Brand as a compromise but I'm thinking there's a better choice out there.

 

[SandEagle]

Macys typically has NauticA, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo jeans for < $30 on their sales racks. got a whole ton of then cheap.

 

[NetWareHead]

Diesel

 

[amdhunter]

International Concepts (INC) is Macy's in-house brand and wear pretty well. The new Levi's 527 (boot-cut) line is surprisingly high quality too. Neither cost more than $50 or so.

Buffalo jeans are probably the most premium at that price range, but expect them to fall apart after 2-3 months.

 

[LookBehindYou]

Macys typically has NauticA, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo jeans for < $30 on their sales racks. got a whole ton of then cheap.

This, though I've never seen'em less than $40 or $50 which imo is still well worth it. Dillards also has Nautica and Tommy.

 

[alkemyst]

Amazon has higher end demin on sale quite often.

 

[Strk]

If you're near a VF Outlet, you can get Nautica, Lee and Wrangler for pretty low prices.

 

[slackerinabox]

International Concepts (INC) is Macy's in-house brand and wear pretty well. The new Levi's 527 (boot-cut) line is surprisingly high quality too. Neither cost more than $50 or so.

Buffalo jeans are probably the most premium at that price range, but expect them to fall apart after 2-3 months.

Funny you mentioned Buffalo - I owned two pairs that looked absolutely fabulous and fit great but developed holes in the.. seat.. area.. They also faded super quickly too.

Will check out INC . Levis tend to be a little too thick for my taste.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Levis all the way

 

[Riverhound777]

I like Lucky Brand jeans. You can get their regular cut at Costco sometimes for like $30. Or they have good sales in the store sometimes. Nice fabric, very comfortable.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Land's End and LL Bean are both decent.

 

[slackerinabox]

Amazon has higher end demin on sale quite often.

Can you recommend some brands? I have no idea which brands are hype and which are quality.

 

[lupi]

Casiotech where are you!

 

[slackerinabox]

I like Lucky Brand jeans. You can get their regular cut at Costco sometimes for like $30. Or they have good sales in the store sometimes. Nice fabric, very comfortable.

Dumb question - anyone know if the Costco / Berkley and Jenses value store jeans are the same as department store jeans? BJs tends to have CK jeans at great prices but they somehow feel different to the touch to me (or it could all be in my head)

 

[The_Dude8]

Casiotech where are you!

casiotech only wear sever for all man kind. Jpaython only rolling in seven and nothing else.

I would go with Joe jeans, but you will not find them for $40. Check out marshals, sometime they have lucky jean for $35.

 

[The_Dude8]

Dumb question - anyone know if the Costco / Berkley and Jenses value store jeans are the same as department store jeans? BJs tends to have CK jeans at great prices but they somehow feel different to the touch to me (or it could all be in my head)

they're not the same as department store jeans, take lucky for example, the store and costco version are different.

 

[MontyAC]

Levis or Lee jeans are fine.

 

[amdhunter]

Funny you mentioned Buffalo - I owned two pairs that looked absolutely fabulous and fit great but developed holes in the.. seat.. area.. They also faded super quickly too.

Will check out INC . Levis tend to be a little too thick for my taste.

I have a pair now that I bought a month ago. One night out and they ripped in that same area.

I still wear them, just with boxers under now. Won't be buying another pair again. FWIW, I noticed they now have tags about fragility on them now.

 

[xanis]

American Eagle jeans fit and wear really well from my experience. They're usually $40 but a sale is running right now for $10 off.

The other jeans I wear are Levis 514 Slim Straight. I have two pair and they also fit and wear really well.

 

[jagec]

jeans aren't really office appropriate.

FTFY. Don't waste your money on designer jeans, that's like going to a fancy hair salon and asking for a mullet. Sure, it will probably be a very nicely edged mullet, but...

 

[XZeroII]

1st world problems...

 

[tcG]

The other jeans I wear are Levis 514 Slim Straight. I have two pair and they also fit and wear really well.

These are my jeans. I like them a lot.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

There is no such thing as "premium denim". There are only idiots who think that paying twice as much turns a basic utilitarian fabric into something fashionable.

It doesn't!!

 

[nageov3t]

Gap jeans are pretty easily my favorite, followed by Calvin Klein.

 

[PieIsAwesome]

I like Levis 511 and 513.

Not all of them are thick. Some are soft cotton, some are soft cotton/elastane blends, some are hard, rigid cotton.